The Regathering: The Lost Tribes of Israel: – The Silk Road – Module 7
Isaiah 65:8:
“Adonai Elohim, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “I will gather still others to him, to those already gathered.”
At various periods, indigenous people over all continents were identified as possible descendants of the Ten Lost Tribes. The supposed offspring included different ethnic groups living in Asia – Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Burma (Myanmar), Kurdistan, Kashmir, China, Japan; in various countries and regions of West Africa: Mali, Ghana, Cameroon, the Congo, Senegal and Nigeria; in Southern Africa: Zimbabwe, Lesotho, South Africa, Mozambique, in East Africa: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea, and Uganda; in Europe: The Judean exiles spread throughout Europe in many countries (too many to list); The Celts of the British Isles; in Oceania, the native people of New Zealand; in South America – Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela; and some native tribes in North Americas. Research on this subject is still unfolding.”
The Silk Road:
According to the Prophecies the Lost Tribes will scatter towards China, to the North, and into Europe. Today let’s look at Semitic communities found along the Silk Road.”
“Look! These are coming from afar, These from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim (China).”
The Caucus Region:
A large number of people from Kyrgyzstan claim to have been from the Lost Tribes. On the path of the Silk Road, their cultural structure has similarities to that of the ancient Israelites. Their national book, the (Epic of Manas), is to have come from the patriarch Menashe, son of Jacob. below is an excerpt:
“Rural Kyrgyz, far from the Judeo-Christian world, have many striking biblical traditions. A comparative analysis of Kyrgyzstan’s national epic Manas and Hebrew scripture reinforces the bond; especially obvious is the similarity between a biblical patriarch “Manasseh son of Jacob” and the Kyrgyz hero “Manas son of Jakyb.” Manas also had a exodus that is comparable to Moses’ exodus. Strikingly, both leaders moved their people with 600,000 foot soldiers. ‘ In the book “Manas – Lost & Found touches on an unending stream of similarities, many that cannot be categorized by Carl Jung’s theories or classified as archetypes. The chapters in this book were essays presented at academic conferences in Kyrgyzstan. The topic was in Central Asia’s news for several years.”
As the tribes of Israel scattered towards the North, branches of them settled around the Caucus Mountains. As the children of Israel migrated to the North, they encountered the Black Sea. There is a river from the Black sea that leads directly into Germany, known as the Danube river. It is believed that the Israelites traveled along this river spreading their information to the local pagan tribes of the European mountains, leading to many peoples abandoning their ancient pagan way and adopting a more Torah based ideology. Some believe that it’s possible that Ashkenazi Jewery descends from this segment of the exile, and had adopted the law of Moses preserved by the Judeans.
Bnei Menashe:
The Bnei Menashe claim to be from the tribe of Menashe. It is believed that they wandered down the Silk Road thousands of years ago into North India. Large numbers are currently returning to Israel. As mentioned earlier, we cannot know for certain if these tribes along the silk road are the blood descendants of the Israelites who wandered across the globe, or, were communities of local tribes who were influenced and adopted Israelite code via the passing Israelites. “
Japan and the Shinto Culture:
At the end of the Silk Road, and over the sea is Japan. Japan has the oldest monarchy in the world today. Its roots claim to have been an ancient people exiled from a homeland and re-established as a Kingdom in Japan. Their are many striking similarities between the customs and traditions of the Japanese Shinto culture and that of Israel. However, the Biblical exiles of the Northern Kingdom of Israel (who split at the time of Jeroboam), had gone into exile via the Assyrians as idol worshipers. Thousands of years later, tribes like the Japanese who claim to be descendants of the tribes of Israel have many close ties to Israelite culture.